What is the MBE grading scale?

The MBE (Multistate Bar Examination) uses a scaled score from 40 to 200, not a percentage, adjusted via a statistical process called equating to account for test difficulty, meaning a raw score (number correct) converts differently for each exam, with scores around 140 often near the national average, and jurisdictions set their own passing scores, sometimes requiring scores from 130-145+ depending on the state.

What's a good score on MBE?

You want to aim for a scaled score of at least 140-145 (which is the average score). Ideally, you should want a 150+ scaled score to have confidence to pass the exam. The national average MBE scaled score for the last few exams was: 142.2 6 in July 2025; 130.8 7 in Feb. 2025; 141.8 8 in July 2024;131.8 9 in Feb.

How is the MBE score scaled?

Each scored question is worth one point. Your raw MBE score (the number of correct answers out of 175) is then converted to a scaled score, which ranges from 1-200. This scaled score is adjusted to account for differences in exam difficulty compared to previous administrations.

Is 70% on MBE good?

65% is solid. Above 70% is elite. Your numbers in a few weeks will rise. Look at my post about equator questions and the real MBE. If you took it today you'd be closer to 60%.

What is a 170 on the MBE?

Your percentile for the MBE Score is as follows:

A 170 is 98th percentile. A 165 if about 95th percentile. A 160 is about 90th percentile. A 155 is about 82nd percentile.

What does my MBE score mean?

Did Michelle Obama pass the bar exam?

Yes, Michelle Obama did pass the bar exam, but not on her first try; she failed the Illinois bar initially, felt discouraged, but eventually passed on her second attempt after graduating from Harvard Law School and went on to have a successful legal career before becoming First Lady.
 

What is a 95th percentile GRE score?

What is the 95% percentile for the GRE? The 95th percentile usually corresponds to a Verbal Reasoning score of 165 and a Quantitative Reasoning score of 170 (the top 9% of takers earn a perfect QR score).

What is 60% on the MBE?

We suggest aiming for at least 60% to be safe. This means you should get 60-62 questions correct on a 100-question practice test or 120-124 questions correct on a full MBE exam.

Is the MBE getting harder?

No, the MBE is not getting harder. The MBE scaled score is adjusted to take any differences in question difficulty into account. As a result, when the average score decreases from July to the next February or from one February to the next February, we can assume that the examinees were less proficient.

What is the MBE scaled score for 2025?

The July 2025 Multistate Bar Exam national mean scaled score reached 142.4, the highest since 2013, reflecting improved performance by first-time test takers. Key points: National mean scaled MBE score for July 2025 rose to 142.4, highest since 2013.

Did Kim Kardashian pass the bar exam to be a lawyer?

No, Kim Kardashian did not pass the California Bar Exam in her most recent attempt (July 2025), though she shared that she came very close and vowed to keep studying, sharing her disappointment and determination to pass in future attempts on her show and social media, as revealed in late 2025. She stated she's "not a lawyer yet" but is dedicated to her law journey, viewing the setback as motivation, per reports from November 2025.
 

What is an excellent bar exam score?

The lowest possible passing score of 266 will suffice in states like South Carolina, Montana, and some others. Depending on how many people have taken the UBE, a score of 280 is approximately the 73rd percentile. A 300 is in about the 90th percentile, and 330 is in the top 1% of all scores.

What is the MBE score increase for July 2025?

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) announced today that the national mean scaled score for the July 2025 Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) was 142.4, an increase of about 0.6 points compared to the July 2024 mean of 141.8, and the highest July MBE mean since 2013 excluding the summer and fall 2020 ...

Has anyone gotten a perfect MBE score?

The NCBE publishes MBE statistics going back to 2016 and the highest reported scaled MBE score is 191.2. So no one has come close to a 200 in 7 years.

Is 60% enough to pass step 1?

Yes, approximately 60% correct is generally considered the threshold to pass USMLE Step 1, as the USMLE program states examinees typically need to answer around 60% of questions correctly for a pass/fail result, though the exact percentage varies slightly by exam form. However, many experts recommend aiming for higher scores (like 70% or more) on practice exams (NBMEs) for a safer margin, as 60% can be cutting it close due to test-day factors, and lower scores can still pass, while some with higher scores might not. 

Is a 318 on the bar exam good?

A good score is anything above your state's passing requirement, but a 280 or higher is strong in any UBE state and allows for easy score transfer. What is the average bar exam score? Most MBE scaled scores fall between 130 and 140. Total UBE scores tend to average just below the common passing score of 270.

Which is the 3 toughest exam in the world?

The top 3 toughest exams globally consistently include China's Gaokao (college entrance), India's IIT-JEE Advanced (engineering), and India's UPSC Civil Services Exam (government jobs), due to their extreme competition, vast syllabi, and life-altering consequences, though other candidates like the All Souls Prize or Master Sommelier Diploma are also noted for extreme difficulty. These exams demand immense knowledge, analytical skills, and endurance, with failure often meaning significant setbacks, making them notoriously difficult.
 

Can you fail the MBE and still pass the bar?

The answer, in most states, is yes. In most states, as long as you make up for any lost points on the essay portion of the exam, you can fail the MBE and still pass the bar exam.

What is the hardest bar exam in the US?

Yes, the California bar exam is widely considered to be the most difficult of all state bar exams in the US. The California bar exam has an overall pass rate of 54%.

How many times can you take the MBE?

General Rule: Most States Allow Unlimited Attempts

This includes states like: California.

What is the lowest score to pass the MBE?

Passing standards range from 130 to 143. Keep in mind that the MBE score is only part of your Uniform Bar Exam (UBE®) score. A stellar Multistate Essay Examination (MEE®) and Multistate Performance Test (MPT®) scores can help offset a lackluster MBE score.

What percentile do I need to be in to pass the bar?

The bar exam pass rate is typically between 60-80% depending on your bar exam state. That means that 20-40% of people who sit for that bar exam do not pass. As you watch your percentile rank, your goal is to be in the 30th-40th percentile or higher in each subject as you progress in your studies.

Is the 99th percentile the top 1%?

Yes, the 99th percentile is effectively the top 1% because it signifies you scored better than 99% of the population, placing you in the highest-scoring group, which is the top one percent. If 100 people are ranked, the person at the 99th percentile is above 99 of them, making them the top performer alongside those in that highest bracket. 

What is the top 1% score on the GRE?

A top 1% GRE score means being in the highest percentile for Verbal Reasoning (around 170) and/or Quantitative Reasoning (around 170), while a top Analytical Writing score (e.g., 6.0) also places you in the top tier, though Quant is harder to get into the top percentiles for, even with a perfect score. A score of 170 Verbal and 170 Quant is a perfect score, placing you in the top 1% for Verbal and the top 8-10% for Quant, showing Quant is much tougher to dominate.
 

How rare is 340 GRE?

Although securing a perfect GRE score is rare, a few candidates are able to achieve it. As per the data of ETS, only 1% of the candidates worldwide score more than 330, making securing 340 an extraordinary achievement.